Peter Pan Must Grow Up
by Threeishere
Summary: Although Neverland keeps the Lost Boys and other inhabitants from growing up, the residents still mature mentally. The Lost Boys, with their minds more mature than their bodies, feel something is missing so Peter searches for help. Eventually he arrives at the conclusion that everything must end in time, including his own life in Neverland. This is the beginning of a new story.
1. Peter's Dilemma

Peter Pan was unhappily perched, like the famous "Thinker" statue, on top of the oak tree that he and the Lost Boys lived in. The air was cold, but Peter, like all the boys, didn't notice. He never did until he caught ill. This might be his hundredth time in this position at this late time at night, perhaps even the thousandth.

_It never used to be this way, _Peter thought angrily. Peter used to always sleep inside, in his beloved bed. As the leader of the Lost Boys, he always got the best of everything. Peter wanted to go back inside and scream at the boys to stop, but, in his young heart he knew he couldn't.

The boys have been crying themselves to sleep every night. They never used to, but all of a sudden one night, a little after Jane's visit to Neverland, Tootles, the youngest lost boy, burst into tears. Peter grimaced at the memory.

He and the boys had just arrived back from a treasure hunt. The day, like every other, had been fun-filled. They came into their hideout same as always, made jokes, played pranks like always, before becoming sleepy. Peter, who had been telling a story about how he had defeated Hook to the twins, paused as he heard a sniffle from across the room. Peter frowned, started to continue, but stopped as Tootles burst into tears. The small boy looked pathetic in his little skunk outfit as tears ran down his face.

"Man up, Tootles!" exclaimed Peter from across the room. Being a boy for so long exaggerated his insensitivity. Tootles simply cried harder.

"What's wrong, Tootles?" asked Slightly curiously. Slightly was dressed as a fox, as all the Lost Boys were dressed as animals except for Peter. Slightly was thin, but tall, and often thought himself in second command to Peter, as well as better than any of the boys.

"Something's missing," sniffled Tootles.

All of a sudden, Cubby burst into tears. Peter stood up, irritated at the two.

"Do you honestly call yourselves Lost Boys? Men don't cry for no reason," he scolded.

The twins started sobbing loudly at Peter's remark. They wore matching raccoon costumes. The commotion brought Tinker Bell, a little fairy wearing a short green dress, out of her little hole and next to Peter. She shot him a perplexed look. All the boys, save Peter, were now crying. Slightly had finally joined in, unable to stay strong when all his best friends were upset. Peter had no idea what to do, but ordered them to bed figuring they were just tired. He struggled to sleep, often hearing a muffled sob or soft sniffling. Peter hated crying, whether he was crying or anybody else. He finally shrugged it off, went to bed and hoped the boys would follow suit.

Unfortunately, the next night, the exact same thing happened. Peter yelled at the boys, but nothing helped. Night after night they cried, leaving Peter to give up and go outside. He couldn't bear to hear it.

Tonight was just like many nights before. However, Peter had gotten fed up with it. He didn't know what they needed, but knew somebody who might. Jane, in London, would know what to do. Peter thought it over many times. As he sat, high above the island on top of the hideout, he knew what he had to do. He looked up at the starts.

Tinker Bell flew out of the hideout to her beloved Peter. Peter smiled at the sound of soft bells.

"Tink, listen," Peter explained, "Watch over the boys tonight. I have to go to London."

Tinker Bell, normally stubborn and unwilling to listen to Peter when he didn't want her to come along, simply nodded. Something was happening, and Tink could sense it. All she could do was hope Peter Pan would fix it.

Peter shot Tinker Bell one last look, before flying out to London. The way was very familiar, after all he must have flown to London many times before. Peter didn't like London much, too many adults, but different children living there were useful as different playmates.

Before long, Peter could make out the familiar shape of London. Peter flew to Big Ben and looked over the great city from the hands of the giant clock. It was dark, but lights from the city reassured Peter that the city was alive. He looked to where he had let Jane out to go home a long time ago. Peter had no idea how long it had been, he never did. Hopefully it was Jane he found, and not her daughter. Peter thought briefly of Wendy, how she had went and grown up without him. He shook his head, trying to clear away the thought of growing up. It scared him to death.

Peter finally took a deep breath and flew to the balcony of Jane's room. Or at least he supposed it had been Jane's room; Peter really had no idea. He looked through the window and saw a shape lying on the seat in front of the window.

Carefully, he opened the window from the outside. The figure lying on the seat was an adult, a woman, although young. Peter scowled, a wave of dislike coursed through him. The woman, although an adult, seemed familiar. Peter flew inside to get a close look at her. She had strawberry blonde hair, like Jane did. Her face had the same features, yet more mature.

"Jane?" Peter asked loudly.

The woman's eyes opened and she quickly sat up, startled. Her eyes widened at the sight of Peter floating above her head. Her mouth gaped open. Peter, becoming impatient, spoke again: "Are you Jane?"

"Peter Pan!" exclaimed the woman, a smile lighting up her face.

For one brief moment Jane was a child again, excited at the sight of her old friend. The moment passed, and Jane was back to her grown-up self.

"You've grown up," accused Peter.

"Yes, Peter, I have," Jane agreed, "You're much smaller than I remember."

"I didn't grow up," said Peter, as if he were better than her.

Jane smiled. Peter was the exact same since the first time she ever met him.

"It's good to see you, Peter," said Jane, "Why are you here?"

"I—I needed you to fix something for me. But you've grown up…"

"Well what's the problem?" asked Jane, concerned for the boy.

"The Lost Boys. They've been crying every night and I don't know how to stop it!" exclaimed Peter.

Peter was very irritated. Seeing Jane had grown up without him almost pushed him over the edge, but his memory of his time with her kept him from angrily flying off into the night.

"Did you ask them why they were crying?" asked Jane reasonably.

"Um…" Peter frowned, "Tootles said something was missing."

"Do you have any idea what it might be?" asked Jane.

"No!" yelled Peter.

He stopped hovering above Jane and angrily sat on the ground.

"Peter you should be quiet! You may wake my parents and Danny," scolded Jane.

"You're just like the rest of them! A grown-up!" said Peter.

"Well everybody has to grow up sometime, Peter," reasoned Jane.

"Not me," muttered Peter.

"That may be it!" exclaimed Jane.

Peter cocked his head in confusion. He didn't understand girls at all to begin with, so grown-up girls were completely impossible for him to comprehend.

"What?" asked Peter.

"The solution to your problem!" answered Jane.

"How?"

"Don't you see?" explained Jane, "Something's missing from the boys. Everybody needs to grow up sometime, Peter. The boys are missing life, they're missing the chance to grow up and get on with their lives!"

Peter shook with anger. How dare she suggest they grow up?

"You're wrong, Jane. Time has passed, even if they wanted to go back they'd have no place to go. Besides, they know they can't grow up. Why cry over it now?" challenged Peter.

"Peter, I know this is hard for you to understand—"

"I understand everything!" boasted Peter.

"You don't. That's the price you pay for staying young forever. The Lost Boys, deep down, sense it's time to move on. They can't stay lost forever. Bring them to London. I have no doubt my mother would take them in," suggested Jane.

"Wendy could be their mother?" asked Peter.

Peter essentially believed a mother was everything good in the world; he knew Wendy would be a great mother to the boys. Peter was overwhelmed; tears filled his eyes and he angrily turned and wiped them away. It was as if Jane was suggesting he end his perfect life and end his childhood. And Peter knew she was right, but he couldn't bear it.

"Oh, Peter," said Jane sadly.

She came and gave him a hug. For a moment he hugged back, comforted by her.

"Jane…" Peter hesitated, unsure of what to say.

"I'm getting married next week," stated Jane suddenly, indicating her left ring-finger, "Peter I've never been happier in all my life, if I hadn't grown up I never would have felt this. My childhood was happy, the time I spent with you was happy, and I'll remember those times forever, pass on those times to my own children one day. But you see, Peter, everybody must move on. It's what we, as human beings, do. It's an adventure in itself—that's what you boys are about: adventure."

Peter listened thoughtfully to Jane. His stubbornness still made him unhappy about growing up, but Jane was talking sense. He brightened at an idea.

"Maybe just the Lost Boys need to grow up! I can always bring new children to Neverland," said Peter.

Jane shook her head.

"Peter, I think you might need to grow up most of all," she observed.

"I NEVER NEED TO GROW UP!" exclaimed Peter, "besides, what about Tinker Bell?"

"She can't stay in Neverland?" asked Jane.

"No! Fairies don't live in Neverland," said Peter as if it were obvious.

"Doesn't Tink know where she came from?"

"She would never go back. Girls like to stay around me, in fact."

Jane almost rolled her eyes. Peter hadn't changed at all.

"Peter," said Jane, "You need to explain to Tinker Bell she needs to move on. She can't stay in London with you and the boys. There's no place for a fairy here."

"Maybe I don't want to," said Peter.

"Peter, trust me, you have to. And you can't wait long, you can't keep track of time in Neverland. If you take too long neither I nor my mother will be around anymore."

This scared Peter. He couldn't imagine Wendy gone, even though he hadn't seen her in so long. She could be his mother. Suddenly Peter had the eerie sense that he knew what to do.

"I'll go to Neverland and bring the Lost Boys here. Then I'll go back, say good-bye to the Mermaids and Indians and take Tink back to where she came from. Then—I'll come here."

Peter became less sad as he thought out his plan. It was a little adventure, just like he had in Neverland.

"Say hi to Tinker Bell for me!" said Jane.

"I will!" said Peter, "I would let her come along, but I'm afraid she'll talk me out of leaving the boys here."  
"You're doing the right thing, Peter," remarked Jane," I think you have grown up a little already."

Peter frowned at that, then went out on the balcony. He looked back at Jane: the grown-up Jane, who he shouldn't know, but still did. She waved, he gave a nod, and flew out into the night sky. Peter set course toward Neverland: his home.

Jane watched Peter as he flew away, still unsure if he had been a dream. Perhaps the anxiety about her wedding had caused a hallucination. She saw him disappear, heading to the second star to the right. She closed her eyes and went back to sleep, hoping with all her heart that Peter Pan and Neverland were real.


	2. The Last Day

It was morning when Peter arrived back in Neverland. His mind was working a mile a minute as thoughts of his meeting with Jane flew through his head. He could barely believe how much she'd grown. Would he grow that fast if he lived in London? Peter shook the thought out of his mind. It was too much for him to handle at this point.

Tinker Bell excitedly flew around Peter as soon as he landed on the ground outside their hideout.

"Peter!" exclaimed Slightly at the sight of him, "Where have you gone?"

"Nowhere," muttered Peter, unwilling to share anything with the Lost Boys. What in the world would they think of him if he had?

"I'm hungry," said Cubby matter-of-factly. Peter smiled.

"What's the plan for today?" asked one of the twins to Peter.

"Well… what do you guys want to do?" asked Peter.

The Lost Boys were silent. Peter Pan had never asked them before what they wanted to do, it always had to be done his way, and he was the leader after all. Peter felt guilty, not revealing his plans to the Lost Boys. He had decided that today would be their last day in Neverland, and he wanted it to be a day they would always remember. There was no reason for them to believe anything was wrong. He looked at each of them, all with puzzled expressions. Cubby looked from Slightly to the twins, but none of them seemed to be able to give him an answer. The twins were staring at Peter, still shocked that he had asked them what to do. Slightly was looking down at his feet, hoping Peter wouldn't personally ask him. Nibs, a boy in a rabbit costume, scratched his head, unsure of what to say. Tootles looked around from one boy to the next, a strange expression on his face. Tootles finally spoke up, having an idea.

"Why not steal the pirate ship back?" asked Tootles in his little voice.

The other Lost Boys brightened at the idea.

"Yes, let's steal the pirate ship," agreed Slightly.

"Alright, men!" said Peter.

Peter Pan wasn't at all terrified of the thought of the facing Captain Hook again. In fact, Peter quite enjoyed his encounters with Hook.

Captain Hook was the captain of the Jolly Roger and had an irrational fear of crocodiles. Peter personally cut off Hook's hand and threw it to Tick Tock the crocodile, a reptile who had unfortunately never digested an alarm clock he once swallowed. Hook had sworn his revenge on Peter, but never seemed to be able to outsmart the boy. Hook's red coat and feathered hat always attracted Peter's attention. Peter had once worn them himself and felt very important in them.

"Wow, stealing the pirate ship! That will be so hard!" exclaimed Cubby.

Cubby was a pessimist who acted like an optimist, always acting fascinated at the most difficult details of an adventure and raving on and on about how hard it would be to accomplish.

"It'll be a piece of cake," said Peter.

Tink waved her arms around angrily, not wanting the Lost Boys to partake in another dangerous task. Tinker Bell always worried about the boys, most especially Peter Pan.

"Maybe we should, uh, find the pirate ship," said Slightly.

Slightly liked to think himself second-in-command to Peter, although his leadership skills weren't exactly up to par.

"That's a good idea," said Peter.

Slightly's mouth gaped open. Peter giving him a compliment? That did not happen every day.

"Alright, Tink. Do your best work on the boys, we've got some flying to do. Just remember fellas, faith, trust, and pixie dust!" said Peter, flying into the air.

Tink flew over top all the children, sprinkling each with her special fairy dust. The Lost Boys started floating almost immediately, having no issues with faith or trust. Peter gave a sad smile. Would they have faith or trust if Peter told them they were going to live in London?

Peter flew fairly high above the island. The Lost Boys and Tinker Bell followed. Now having a bird's eye view they each looked in different directions.

"Over there!" exclaimed the twins simultaneously.

Sure enough, the pirate ship could be seen sailing to Mermaid Lagoon. Peter had absolutely no idea what Hook was planning, but was still unconcerned. Hook was always plotting something, it never caused harm to him or his friends.

"I have a plan," said Peter, the wheels in his head turning.

Tinker Bell flew next to Peter, her favorite place in the entire world. She was eager to hear it, although worried about the possible danger.

"What is it?" asked Tootles innocently.

"What is the one thing Hook is afraid of the most?" asked Peter.

"Uhh… not having enough to eat?" asked Cubby.

"No, no," declared Peter, "He's most afraid of Tick-Tock the crocodile. Remember? Mr. Crocodile ate his hand. Captain Hook is more afraid of the croc than he is of us! So we must get the crocodile to Hook."

"That makes sense!" said Slightly, eager to hear the rest of the plan.

"Now, men, all we have to do is lure Mr. Crocodile out to the pirate ship, give him a dose of Tink's pixie dust, and then we have Hook jumping overboard like a madman. The rest of the pirates will be easy to take care of, especially since Hook will be screaming for help. They'll be going after him and we can take the ship from there. Tink will dust the ship and we'll be flying away."

Tinker Bell looked skeptically at Peter. She had an awful lot of work to do in this little escapade.

The Lost Boys all nodded in agreement, thinking the plan sounded great. They always thought Peter Pan's plans sounded great, he had never before led them astray.

"Let's get started!" exclaimed one of the twins.

"Here we go!" yelled Peter over his shoulder, flying directly past Mermaid Lagoon and towards Skull Rock. The saltwater crocodile typically spent its time within the caverns of the spooky structure. The Lost Boys quickly followed, none wanting to be left behind. Cubby and Tootles were at the rear of the group. Cubby always seemed to be the slowest, and Tootles always struggled with flying through the air, his arms and legs much shorter than the others'.

The Lost Boys were nervous when they arrived at Skull Rock due to the daunting structure looming over their heads, and the possibility of Peter ordering them to go inside. Peter Pan, unaware of their fears, had already formulated a plan.

"The twins and Nibs will stay out here as our watchmen," started Peter, "Tootles, Cubby, and Slightly, you three will look for Mr. Crocodile in the left side of Skull Rock. If you find him, draw him out of the structure and give the rooster call as a signal, so we know you've got the croc out. Me and Tink, we'll get the right side and if we find Mr. Crocodile we'll do the same for you. As soon as you hear the signal, come immediately outside. Sound like a plan?"

"I'm in," declared Slightly eagerly, though anxious.

"Us too," agreed the twins. They were quite pleased with the plan, having the least dangerous job.

Cubby, Nibs, and Tootles quickly nodded, as did Tinker Bell.

"Let's go!" exclaimed Peter, flying into the right eye-hole in the rock, quickly followed by Tinker Bell.

The boys followed Peter's plan like they always did. That's just how it was done in Neverland, Peter was practically the king.

Tootles, Slightly, and Cubby nervously flew through the caverns in the left side of Skull Rock. At first the three, led by Slightly, stayed as close to the ceiling and as far from the water underneath as possible. Unfortunately, deeper into the cave, Slightly disturbed a million bats trying to sleep on the ceiling and they flew directly past the boys toward the outside light. Cubby screamed like a little girl, but Slightly shushed him.

"Man up," said Slightly, although breathing heavily from the scare.

Tootles seemed to be the only one not that afraid, he giggled at Cubby's scream and would every once in a while touch the water and watch it spray upwards as he flew.

"M-maybe you should stop that," suggested Cubby after seeing the little skunk do it a few times.

Tootles shrugged, but listened to Cubby. Slightly frowned, not seeing any sign of Mr. Crocodile. It was getting darker and darker as they went further in and the boys didn't have any light source. Finally, when it was almost pitch dark, Cubby spoke up.

"I'm scared, S-Slightly. I think we should turn around, Peter will find Mr. Crocodile," whimpered Cubby.

"We can't turn back now," argued Slightly.

He stopped and turned to Cubby, barely able to make out the shape of the large boy. Tootles kept flying on but stopped. What was that noise he heard.

"You're not our leader," said Cubby, "We can turn back if we want."

"Peter, who IS our leader told us to do this, we have to do it, we'll be fine," said Slightly, although not sounding so sure himself.

"Shh," whispered Tootles.

Slightly and Cubby, who had for a moment forgotten about the youngest member of their group, immediately turned to look at Tootles. Unfortunately, Tootles was nowhere to be seen in the dark. It was silent in the cavern. Or almost silent. A faint ticking noise could be heard. Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock…

Cubby and Slightly gasped at the same time, now both trying hard not to scream. Tootles giggled a little at the noise, before flying deeper.

"Tootles!" exclaimed Slightly, horrified.

"We have to go after him," realized Cubby.

Slightly and Cubby gulped, and flew where they could no longer see. The tick-tock got louder and louder. The boys were shaking worse than a palm tree in hurricane winds.

_Why couldn't Mr. Crocodile be on the right side? _thought Cubby to himself.

Tootles giggled, having found the crocodile.

"Tootles!" said Slightly again, hoping the little boy would listen.

"Watch out," said Tootles in his little voice.

Cubby screamed. Slightly was hit by the tail of the beast and hit the wall, hard. He shook his head, knowing he had to get out of here. Tootles kept in front of the crocodile, doing his best to lure it outside. Unfortunately, the crocodile, being hungry for a few days, was most interested in Cubby, the largest possible catch for it. Cubby, terrified, moved faster than he had in all his life and managed to fly right into Tootles. Mr. Crocodile followed the two. Slightly, now behind the large reptile, hesitantly followed.

The boys neared the exit, now being able to see. Cubby wished it was still dark, looking back and being able to see the starving crocodile was much scarier than a mysterious monster in the dark. Mr. Crocodile's eyes were crazed, his mouth snapping down hungrily. It had been a while since he'd had a bite to eat. Of course, although he was starving, the one thing he craved was Captain Hook. Mr. Crocodile always wanted a bit of the captain, having had a taste from the hand Peter had fed to him. Unfortunately for the boys, the reptile was hungry enough to eat anything, even them. It would follow them as long as it could, or until it smelled Captain Hook himself.

Tootles was the first to fly out from the cavern. The twins looked at the little boy, surprised to see him alone. Cubby quickly flew as high as he could out. With a huge splash, Mr. Crocodile attempted to jump after him. The twins flew backwards a little, afraid of the reptile. Finally, Slightly emerged from the cavern, flew as high as he could and gave the rooster call.

"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" he yelled at the top of his lungs.

The Lost Boys waited outside Skull Rock, hoping Peter would emerge soon. The crocodile looked angrily from one boy to the next, before going beneath the water and doing his best to look like a log in hopes one of the boys might try to sit on him. After a minute or two, although it seemed like ages to the boys, a yellow light came from the right eye of the structure and Tinker Bell and Peter flew out.

"Great job, men!" said Peter, thrilled to see the ticking crocodile.

"Um, now what?" asked Slightly, looking nervously at the creature.

"Simple, all we have to do is lead it to Mermaid Lagoon," said Peter.

"Oh, yeah, simple," said Cubby, sounding as if it weren't simple at all.

"Like this," demonstrated Peter. He flew to Mr. Crocodile and kicked the creature's head with his foot. Mr. Crocodile snapped at him, and then quickly swam after Peter as soon as he realized he hadn't caught anything in his enormous jaws.

Tootles giggled and followed Peter's lead, egging on the crocodile to follow him and leading him towards the lagoon. Each boy had his own turn with the beast, most nervous to do so, but getting braver by the minute. This crocodile would never catch them! He was much too slow! Soon, all the boys were laughing at the reptile's comical failures to crush the boys. Before they knew it they had arrived in Mermaid Lagoon.

"I see it!" exclaimed Nibs at the sight of the pirate ship.

The Jolly Roger was in fact in front of them. Peter could just make the faint shape of Captain Hook waltzing about the poop deck, ordering his first mate, Mr. Smee, around. Peter Pan smiled, eager to torture the selfish pirate again.

"Now men, fly low," ordered Peter, "We need to get Mr. Crocodile as close to the ship as possible."

The boys followed Peter's example, before pausing right beneath the ship. None of the pirates seemed to notice the boys. Mr. Crocodile, ticking loudly, followed them.

"Now, Tink!" whispered Peter.

Tinker Bell, without hesitation, sprinkled pixie dust all over Mr. Crocodile. The reptile looked confused for a moment, before slowly floating upwards into the sky. He hovered right next to the ship and stared at the pirates. Immediately, Mr. Crocodile caught the smell of Captain James Hook and licked his lips. The crocodile completely forgot the Lost Boys and flew as quick as it could to the captain.

Hook's mouth comically gaped open as the crocodile started flying as quickly as possible towards the pirate captain.

"Smee!" screamed the captain, completely terrified of the crocodile.

Mr. Smee, a short, white-haired man, looked as surprised as Hook at the sight of the crocodile.

"Captain? I hadn't seen it before now," noted Smee.

Captain Hook jumped overboard. Mr. Crocodile happily followed, eager to enjoy this rare delicacy. Smee looked horrified and glared at the other crew members.

"We have to save the captain!" yelled Smee, frantically jumping into the life boat.

Mr. Smee was an overweight fool, who for some reason had earned Hook's favor. Captain Hook used to quickly move from first-mate to first-mate, often making them walk the plank, that is, until Mr. Smee. Smee was quite simple-minded, yet somehow managed to avoid ever walking the plank. The pirate was surprisingly caring to others and could easily be taken advantage of.

The other pirates quickly attempted to follow, a few jumping overboard themselves. Captain Hook would KILL them if crocodile hurt him. He had an awful temper, and would make pirates walk the plank for reasons as miniscule as a spot of dirt on his boot. They were terrified of the captain. Most wished to leave their lives of piracy, but couldn't exactly figure out how. Captain Hook was known to hunt down deserters.

The crew did love to sail, even around Neverland. None of them thought they would stay in Neverland forever. A few almost enjoyed Peter Pan irritating Hook to all ends. Captain Hook, most thought, deserved the torture. If any of the pirates thought deeply they would have wondered why Hook even stayed around Neverland. Hook absolutely hated Neverland and its residents, especially Peter Pan. His longing for revenge kept him around, and was ultimately driving the important pirate insane.

Peter flew up onto the deck and looked at the back of one of the pirates, yelling at Hook and the other pirates from on the ship. Peter smiled and pushed him overboard before the pirate even saw what hit him. The Lost Boys followed Peter, as they always did. They each quickly attacked the three pirates left on board. The pirates were no match for the silly boys and jumped overboard, yelling to the others about Peter Pan. Hook's screams could be heard from miles away.

The Lost Boys cheered, now being the only people on the Jolly Roger.

"Alright Tink, give it your best shot!" ordered Peter happily.

Tinker Bell did not have to be asked twice. She flew around the ship, sprinkling pixie dust everywhere. She flew around another time to make sure she was getting the ship enough dust to be able to fly. Sure enough, halfway through her second circle, the ship started floating above the water. The boys cheered again. Peter Pan took control of the ship at the wheel, making orders to the Lost Boys as if he were Captain Hook himself.

Soon enough, the ship was flying over Neverland. The boys had a blast onboard. Tinker Bell happily rested on Peter's head, proud of her abilities with the pixie dust. The plan had gone exactly how Peter had thought it would.

Unfortunately, Peter now had time to think while flying the ship. How would he tell the boys that they could have a day like this again? Peter looked at the sun. It was afternoon by now, they still had plenty of time to have their fun. But Peter knew it would go quickly.

Peter was right. After a day of playing pirates the sun was setting. It was time to go back to the hideout.

Peter docked the ship on the other side of the island from Mermaid Lagoon. It would take the pirates a few days to get their ship back. The Lost Boys were chatting excitedly to each other about the day's events. Peter frowned, knowing now was the time to speak.

"It was a good day," said Peter to them.

"It was the best day ever!" exclaimed Nibs.

"It's time to eat now, though, right Peter?" asked Cubby seriously.

"Yeah, it is Cubby," said Peter, "but I have some news for you all."

Tinker Bell looked at him, surprised. She knew Peter had had something on his mind all day.

"What is it?" asked Slightly.

All of the Lost Boys just stared at Peter, anxious to hear the news.

"Today is your last day," said Peter finally.

"What do you mean?" asked one of the twins.

"We're all going to London tomorrow," said Peter quickly, "We're flying there on the ship. Wendy will be your mother."

"Wendy?" asked Slightly, "She's still there?"

"Yes," replied Peter. He wasn't sure how to explain to them that she had grown up.

"Wendy!" said Tootles happily, giving a huge smile.

"That's right," said Peter, "Today is your last day in Neverland. Then we'll all have adventures in London…"

"But Peter, doesn't that mean we'll grow up?" asked Nibs, frightened.

"Uh, yes, it does. But it takes a long time," said Peter.

That seemed to be a good enough reason for the boys. They would be sad to leave Neverland, but they were so used to following Peter. They were okay with leaving. Tinker Bell, however, didn't make a sound. She did not like the news at all, but knew now was the not the time to let them know about it.

They all went and ate (to Cubby's delight), before turning in to bed at the hideout. Peter lie in bed, thoughtfully. The boys didn't know that he planned to leave them without him in London. Would Jane and Wendy even still be there? Peter could not fall asleep, worrying. How would the Lost Boys ever trust him again?


	3. The Captain's True Enemy

_Author's Note: Thank you to those who have read my story thus far! This is a short chapter giving necessary insight on Captain Hook. Enjoy!_

Captain Hook was unhappy. He trudged through the island's landscaping as it began to rain. Hook hated the rain here.

Earlier in the day, Hook had been attacked by the infernal crocodile. Hook was completely terrified of Mr. Crocodile ever since Peter Pan cut off the captain's hand and threw it to the reptile. Hook still had nightmares about that tragic day. Peter made Hook's blood boil. His dream was to see Peter walk the plank and be fed to that very same crocodile.

Hook hated Neverland. Every single pirate in his crew knew it. The worst part of it was, Neverland seemed to hate Captain Hook. The mermaids and the Indians hated Hook and would often go out of their way to attempt to get rid of his presence on the island. The Indians would shoot arrows, throw spears, and even set traps all over the island for the pirates. The mermaids, sort of fond of the other men, would attempt to drown Hook just for the fun of it. Even the island itself seemed to hate the man.

After escaping the jaws of Mr. Crocodile, Hook had set foot on land. The skies immediately turned black and started a torrential downpour on the corrupted sailors. Captain Hook, so full of hate, was miserable in his newly ruined coat and pants. They were pathetic protection from the rain. Not to mention all of the pirates were already soaked from jumping overboard. There was no hope of them ever getting dry. Captain Hook was furious.

The fact is, Neverland had driven Hook insane. Hook had nothing, nobody really cared for him, save possibly loyal Mr. Smee. Perhaps that's why Smee had been first-mate for so long. Hook just needed somebody, even a fool, to care for him.

"We must find Peter Pan and destroy him!" announced Hook viciously.

The crew grumbled to themselves. Today would just be another long day going after a pointless cause that didn't benefit the crew at all.

"Do we know where Peter is?" asked Smee.

"Yes, you fool. We found his hideout some time ago. We must go on foot to the Lost Boys' home," ordered Hook.

The pirates looked at each other uneasily. Crossing the island of Neverland with Captain Hook at the lead was almost suicide. At the very least there was bound to be trouble.

"Get moving," ordered Mr. Smee.

The crew members, although never taking Smee seriously, listened. Smee is practically Hook's megaphone. Refusing to listen to Smee was refusing to listen to Hook himself, and the consequences typically involved walking the plank.

The pirates had crossed the island on foot many times before, so they didn't need any map telling them which way to go. However, they much preferred using the Jolly Roger to get from here to there.

They began to cross through the jungle, avoiding contact with mermaids or Indians. Unfortunately, Captain Hook found himself knee-deep in wet sand and was quickly sinking.

"Smee!" cried Hook.

The pirates, having encountered quicksand on the island before, lethargically threw ropes they were carrying to the captain. Hook grabbed them and held on for dear life. Smee barked orders, much like a toy poodle, to the crew. Finally, Hook was out of danger, or at least from the quicksand, as he angrily stepped on the firm ground.

"Hurry up, you scurvy scum!" yelled Hook angrily to the pirates.

They moved a little faster for about five minutes, then went back to the same slow pace. None of them were in any rush.

The corrupt sailors continued to walk through the exotic island for the rest of the day. As beautiful as it was, none stopped to marvel at any of the island's flora or fauna. If they stopped the flora or fauna would decide to attack Captain Hook. After the sun set, they finally arrived at the Lost Boys' hideout.

Hook gave a wicked grin and took out his pistol. He put a finger to his lips and knocked on the door. There was no answer. He frowned and knocked again. One of the pirates coughed.

"Perhaps nobody's home?" asked Smee.

"That's impossible where else would they go?" responded Hook angrily.

Hook shot a hole in the door. Still, no sounds could be heard from inside. The pirates broke down the door and invaded the hideout. There wasn't a soul in sight, whether child or fairy.

"Blast this! Where are they?" exclaimed Hook, completely furious.

The pirates looked at each other, unsure what Hook wanted to hear.

"Perhaps they found a new hideout?" asked Mr. Smee thoughtfully.

Captain Hook turned to Smee, completely furious. The pirates, soaked to the bone, tired, hungry, with no shelter glared at Hook. One pirate with a pink shirt lay down on one of the beds and took off his boots.

"I'm resting here, I don't care," he said angrily.

Captain Hook glared at him and lifted his hook threateningly, but Smee smiled.

"Great idea, then when they come back we'll be here waiting for them!" said Mr. Smee logically.

Hook smiled, suddenly liking Smee again.

"Yes, we'll wait here for them," he agreed.

The other crew members shrugged, hoping they would get a good night's sleep for once. The crew was just happy they had shelter from the wretched island. Perhaps the island could be paradise for them, a place where they could be free, but they were bound to Captain Hook.

Captain Hook hated the island and everything it stood for. Neverland allowed its residents to stay young forever, pausing their lives so they could enjoy who they were at that very point in their life. Captain Hook hated himself and who he was. The island prevented Hook from ever changing, and therefore formed a formidable enemy for Peter Pan himself. Peter Pan was stuck as a child, Captain Hook was stuck as a bitter grown-up, the one thing Peter hated.

Neverland hated grown-ups, just like Peter. Neverland cursed them and did its best to dispose of them. Captain Hook needed to leave, soon, or the island itself would murder him. Hook was doomed to never get his revenge on Peter Pan.


	4. The Lost Boys are Found

Peter Pan never fell asleep. The sun had just set and Peter was not tired. He had gone to visit Jane at night before, perhaps he should go back as soon as possible. About a minute passed and Peter knew that they had to leave right away.

"Men, it's time to get up," said Peter loudly.

The Lost Boys quickly got up, although a bit tired having fallen asleep only minutes ago.

"What's wrong?" asked Nibs.

"Nothing, it's time to go. We're going to London tonight. Wendy will be our mother," announced Peter.

Tinker Bell began to glow red, irritated with Peter. Peter wouldn't look at her. He walked outside of the hideout with the other boys following.

"I'm hungr—"started Cubby, but was silenced when Slightly glared at him.

They walked quietly to where the ship was docked. It was now floating on the water. Peter looked at Tinker Bell, unsure what to say to her.

"We need pixie dust," said one of the twins during the silence.

All the Lost Boys looked to Tinker Bell. Without any sound, she dusted the entire ship until it floated. The boys boarded the ship and began to sail directly to London.

"When are we coming back?" asked Tootles in his little voice.

Peter frowned, unsure what to say. The Lost Boys looked at each other then back at Peter.

"Are we coming back?" asked Nibs.

"No," said Peter finally.

The Lost Boys were silent. None of them were quite sure how they felt about it.

"It'll be an adventure," said Tootles firmly.

Cubby nodded in agreement. The other boys frowned. Neverland had been their home. They had no family in London, at least in Neverland they had each other. Although Peter promised Wendy would be their mother, they had lived without a mother for quite some time now. Peter Pan seemed to have his mind made up, though, and none wanted to argue. Tootles and Cubby were the only ones who seemed to get used to the idea. Tootles was extremely easy going and enjoyed just about everything, so there was no surprise there. Cubby had it in his mind that mothers cooked a lot of good food for their children and decided Wendy would be the same.

Deep down, the boys felt relieved. Being only boys they had no way to ever grasp or describe the feeling, but it was there. Finally, they could grow up and live their lives, just like they were born to do. They had been taught by Peter, for many years now, that growing up was wrong. The children weren't exactly sure why Peter had changed his mind, but they would never question him. Peter Pan always ended up leading them to some sort of happiness.

Tinker Bell was furious at the decision. Peter Pan had not once consulted her. How could he do this to her? She could never live in London. To her, it seemed as if Peter Pan completely wanted her out of his life. It hurt.

"We'll dock this on the clock tower," said Peter as the city of London came into view.

"Do you know where Wendy is?" asked Slightly, nervous.

"I think so," said Peter, although uncertain. Peter Pan had no idea how long it had been since he'd spoken with Jane.

"Didn't you say Wendy grew up?" asked one of the twins.

"Yes, but she's still the same, sort-of," said Peter.

"How can she be the same if she's a grown-up?" asked the other twin.

"SHUT UP!" exclaimed Peter, suddenly fed up and stressed out.

None of the boys said anything. Peter Pan had a temper and many had learned it was much smarter to stay quiet. Peter felt guilty for snapping at them, but didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say, how to apologize.

The boys docked the floating ship at the top of the clock tower and flew down, using Tink's pixie dust. Tinker Bell followed, but didn't stay close to Peter. She really didn't know why she was following them in the first place, she couldn't stay here.

"Which way?" asked Cubby a bit nervously.

Peter frowned.

"This way," he said, leaping into the air and taking flight.

After about a minute of flying, Peter finally couldn't stand Tink's silence. He landed on the roof of a twin home, followed by the Lost Boys.

"Wait here," said Peter to the boys and indicated Tink to follow him. Peter flew to the next roof and turned to the small pixie.

"Tink, look, I'm going back to Neverland to say good-bye, after the boys stay here," explained Peter.

Tinker Bell jingled, put in a better mood by Peter's words.

"We'll have time just me and you," promised Peter, "but then I've got to come back here. You'll have to go back to the fairies."

Peter Pan felt sad all of a sudden. Tinker Bell saw the emotion in his eyes and immediately felt guilty. She could see Peter made up his mind. She needed to support him; it wasn't in her nature not to. The fairy nodded.

"Thanks, Tink," said the boy.

He flew back to the Lost Boys.

"Let's go, men," said Peter.

Peter's stomach flip-flopped as they neared Wendy's home. Would Wendy even be there? Peter's biggest fear was to come and have Wendy nor Jane living there.

The Lost Boys didn't have much to say, suddenly anxious. What would their new life be like in London? They had no idea, but if Peter was there then everything would be okay. Peter seemed to always make everything okay for them.

Finally, Peter found himself yet again on the same balcony that he'd met Wendy all those years ago. A sleeping figure could be seen past the translucent, white curtains. Peter carefully opened the door and indicated the Lost Boys to fly in, overtop of the sleeping figure.

"Jane?" asked Peter once all of the boys were inside.

The figure stirred, then turned around.

Peter frowned. Jane had grown much older; the wrinkles in her eyes were now obvious. How much time had passed? He studied her, angry she had grown again, before slowly realizing he wasn't looking at Jane. Wendy smiled at the sight of them.

"Peter Pan!" she exclaimed.

"Wendy…" he said, not knowing exactly what to say.

Tinker Bell began to glow green, slightly jealous at the memory of the little girl that made Peter's heart beat a little quicker. Wendy smiled looking around the room.

"Slightly, Cubby, Twins, Nibs, and of course Tootles!" welcomed Wendy.

At the sound of his name, Tootles ran over to Wendy and jumped in her arms. Wendy cuddled the boy for a moment, remembering her brief time in Neverland.

"Where's Jane?" asked Peter suddenly.

"Jane? She's on her honeymoon," said Wendy, all smiles, "Jane told me about her visit with you, Peter. I believed every word she told me. I was hoping with all my heart you all would come to me."

Slightly smiled and ran to Wendy, wanting a hug. The other Lost Boys followed, each wanting attention from Wendy.

"You'll be our mother?" asked Tootles sweetly.

"Yes, Tootles. I will be," said Wendy.

Peter frowned. He loved Wendy, even as an adult, she always believed in him. Something didn't feel right about him leaving now.

"Will you cook our meals?" asked Cubby eagerly.

"Yes, of course," said Wendy, very motherly, resisting the urge to laugh. Cubby had seemed to have developed a much stronger sense of hunger since she last encountered him. _Neverland exaggerates one's worst qualities_, she thought, _but I will always love it_.

After giving all the boys hugs, except Peter, Wendy turned to Tinker Bell.

"Oh, Tinker Bell, I've missed you," said Wendy.

Tinker Bell, no longer jealous, smiled and light bells could be heard. Wendy's smile broadened. Her ability to hear Tinker Bell meant she still believed.

"And Peter Pan, I may have missed you most of all," said Wendy, turning to the boy.

Peter, a thousand emotions running through his system, ran to Wendy and gave her a hug.

"I've missed you, too," said Peter. He suddenly frowned, remembering the Lost Boys would be watching. "Wendy, can I talk to you?"

"Yes, of course, Peter," said Wendy, curiously.

Peter led her out on the balcony.

"Wendy, I have to take Tinker Bell back," said Peter.

"You're leaving the Lost Boys here?" asked Wendy.

"Yes," answered Peter.

There was silence for a moment. Wendy's smile faded a little, and she looked around.

"I had this balcony built after Jane told me about her time in Neverland," said Wendy, as if Peter asked, "I was hoping you would stand on it one day."

Peter Pan just nodded, lost in thought.

"I'd better get going," said Peter Pan finally.

A tear fell from Wendy's eye. Tinker Bell flew out onto the balcony, knowing her and Peter would have to leave soon. Wendy heard the bells.

"Peter Pan, I have been blessed to have known you. It's been three times now, I know I've grown up, but really on the inside I haven't lost my hope I've had since I was a child. That's what you need to remember Peter… always have hope. When you lose hope you truly grow up, and that's what you're most afraid of," spoke Wendy.

"I'll see you again, Wendy," mumbled Peter Pan.

Wendy smiled sadly.

"Good-bye, Peter Pan. I've always remembered you, and now it's your turn to remember me. Always have hope," said Wendy.

Peter smiled confidently at her.

"Of course I'll always have hope, Wendy. I'm the best at having hope, because I'm the best at not growing up," he said.

With that, Peter Pan took off into the night sky, followed closely by Tinker Bell. Wendy shook her head, amused at Peter. Peter never really changed, she could never imagine him changing.

Wendy walked back inside and looked fondly at the Lost Boys. She had been mentally preparing herself ever since her conversation with Jane to be a mother to all these boys. In her heart, Wendy always knew that one day they would need her.

"Where's Peter going?" asked Nibs.

"Back to Neverland," said Wendy honestly.

"Peter's abandoned us!?" asked Slightly, horrified.

"No, he just has to say good-bye one last time. We'll be waiting here for him," said Wendy reassuringly.

The Lost Boys all stared at her, unsure of what to do or say without their leader there. Slightly still felt extremely skeptical, but couldn't do anything. The twins whispered to each other.

"Welcome to your new life," said Wendy, "You can sleep here for the night."

Wendy went to close the window, then looked up at the night sky. Up past Big Ben, she could see the second star to the right. For a moment she glimpsed a ship flying up towards the stars. She blinked and it was gone.

"Will you read us a story?" asked Tootles in his tiny voice.

Wendy's eyes lit up. Having raised two children herself, she was eager to have little ones again.

"I'm going to tell you a story about a boy who never grows up," she started.

The Lost Boys listened intently, excited to hear the story. Slightly frowned, though, wondering if they would ever meet the boy who never grows up ever again.

_Author's Note: Thanks for reading! I personally had trouble actually writing this last chapter so I'm not sure how it turned out in comparison to the others. Reviews are always welcome :) _


	5. Neverland Strikes Back

_Author's Note: I'm so sorry it took me so long to update! I was having major writer's block with this chapter. My goal is to finish this story by the end of the summer, so stay tuned! Thanks for reading, and especially thanks to those who followed and favorited my story! Enjoy the next chapter!_

"Alright, Tink. Let's have an adventure!" exclaimed Peter after jumping off the pirate ship.

Tinker Bell jangled and pointed towards the Hangman's Tree, the boy's hideout. Tinker Bell was tired after not getting a good night's sleep. The sun was just rising on the horizon.

"No, Tink, we've got to say good-bye. We can see the mermaids and Indians."

Tink jingled, just wanting to be alone with Peter. She especially had no love for the mermaids, who often would attempt to get a little too touchy feely with Peter.

Unfortunately, Peter had already begun to make his way towards Mermaid Lagoon. Tinker Bell, exasperated, followed. Peter began to do loop-de-loops in the air and cock-a-doodle-dooed loudly. It was good to be home! As they arrived in Mermaid Lagoon, a few of the mermaids swam over to where Peter had landed.

The mermaids were beautiful girls, each with long hair of different colors. They were very conceited creatures, but were always very happy to see any sort of male.

"Oh, Peter, come for a swim with us," begged a beautiful girl with blonde hair.

"Um, I'm not going to be around for a while," said Peter to the mermaids.

"Peter, you can't possibly leave," pouted the brunette mermaid.

"I have to," replied Peter.

The red-head mermaid pulled him close to her and kissed him on the lips.

"You want to leave this?" she asked flirtatiously.

"I'm sorry," said Peter, but the mermaid kissed him again. She pulled him under the water and wouldn't let go. Peter struggled, unable to breathe. The other mermaids, now underwater, surrounded him.

"You'll just have to stay here forever with us underwater," said the blonde mermaid.

Peter kicked the red-head mermaid and quickly swam to the surface and flew high above the mermaids and their lagoon.

Tinker Bell jingled happily at the sight of Peter.

"Sorry girls, good-bye!" yelled Peter as they flew away from the fish-girls.

Tinker Bell followed Peter, now a little shaken. The mermaids had never tried to drown Peter before.

"They just want me here with them, like every girl," remarked Peter, "I can hardly blame them."

Tinker Bell rolled her eyes, although deep down realized there was some truth in his words. She herself had been caught under Peter's spell. The thought of separating from the boy left Tink feeling so empty that she had trouble flying. She focused on the fact that Peter was in Neverland with her, and found herself much happier.

Peter, on the other hand, was finding his visit to Neverland less than exciting. He usually loved visiting the mermaids, but today they seemed almost vain and uninterested in anybody but themselves. Had they always been like that? Peter had just always assumed they enjoyed seeing him for him, not for their own pleasures. Peter shook his head. He was thinking too much, that was his problem. He would go see the Indians and have a wonderful time!

The Indian camp was a little village, with teepees to serve as shelters. There were a few children there, although Peter much preferred the company of the lost boys.

As they approached the Indian camp, they could see the Indians were dancing around a fire, celebrating something. The men and women had either black or gray hair, and all had reddish skin. They always enjoyed Peter's company and would have fine parties in his honor. They never forgot Peter had saved Neverland, once, a long time ago.

Peter and Tinker Bell landed at the edge of the dancing Indians, not wanting to interfere. Tiger Lily, a young Indian princess, saw them and ran over.

"Peter Pan!" she said, all smiles.

"What's going on?" asked Peter, seemingly ignoring her eagerness to see him.

"They're celebrating," said Tiger Lily, still grinning.

"Are they celebrating me?" asked Peter, then pulled one of Tiger Lily's pigtails and ran away from her, laughing. Tiger Lily glared at him, jokingly, and chased after him.

Tinker Bell watched the two, slightly jealous, but was more concerned about the fact that Peter was planning to leave after he had said good-bye. Where would she go? Tink knew she could always go back to her fairy friends, they would welcome her, but they would just ask her why she had spent so much time with Peter again. Tinker Bell didn't want to go back to them.

Peter looked at the huge totem pole near the end of the camp. He gave Tiger Lily a wicked grin. He flew to the top of the pole and grabbed one of the wings of the top carving and spun around it in circles. Peter could hear Tiger Lily's melodic laugh and flew around even faster. To his horror, as soon as he let go of the top section, the entire structure fell to the ground.

The Indians stopped dancing and turned, shocked at the mess Peter had made.

"Oh, sorry about that," said Peter, "I'm sure it would've come down by itself anyway."

Peter tried to think of a way to blame somebody else, but he was so obviously guilty all he could hope was that he wouldn't get in trouble.

"Peter Pan," said the Indian chief, "You should not be here!"

The old, slightly reddish-skinned man glared at the boy. The Indian chief was somebody Peter did not want to mess with.

"I come here all the time," explained Peter, a little confused.

The Indian chief shook his head gravely.

"Is time to grow up and cast away childhood," stated the Indian chief.

Peter glared back at the man.

"I'm the boy who never grows up," said Peter, angrily.

"You waited too long, Peter Pan," warned the chief.

"I can do whatever I want!" yelled Peter.

Tiger Lily's eyes widened and she bowed her head, unable to meet Peter's gaze. The chief's gaze seemed to burn Peter's face, and Peter found that he couldn't quite meet it. He did notice, however, the other Indians gather threateningly around him.

"You are no longer welcome here," said the Indian chief, "Leave Neverland forever."

Peter, being told what to do, wanted to do the opposite, but looked warily at the Indians. One of them had pulled out a hatchet and was waving it back and forth while staring at Peter.

"Let's go Tink," said Peter, furious.

The boy and the fairy flew off. Tiger Lily watched after them until they disappeared.

"It's for the better," whispered the girl to herself.

The chief, as if he heard, nodded to her.

"Tiger Lily, my daughter, do not despair. It is his time. Peter has no rule over Neverland, the island will make sure the boy leaves forever. I can feel it speaking to me, the island knows it is time."

Tiger Lily nodded, still staring at the sky.

Peter, angered, was now flying in the direction of the Hangman's tree.

"They aren't my parents. They have no right to tell me to leave," said Peter.

Tinker Bell looked at the boy hopefully. Perhaps Peter would decide to stay in Neverland forever with her after all.

Peter looked at the island while they had a bird's eye view. It was so lush and beautiful. Streams run everywhere, pregnant with water indicated the rain he had encountered while playing pirates with the Lost Boys in Hook's pirate ship. In Neverland, it had only been a day later from when they had left. Peter was convinced that he should spend the night in Neverland. The island was his home, after all.

Outside of the hideout, Peter frowned. The forest was completely silent.

"It's too quiet," remarked Peter to Tink.

Tinker Bell yawned and shrugged. They would be safe in the hideout, she was sure. She flew inside.

Peter, alarmed, followed. Something just did not feel right. After looking around the dark bedroom, Peter lay down in his bed and closed his eyes, deciding to wait until tomorrow to discover what was wrong.

A hand covered Peter's mouth, waking him up. Two men grabbed him and wouldn't allow him to move. It was dark, but Peter saw the gleam of a hook on the other side of the room.

"Peter Pan," said Captain Hook, delighted, "you finally will get what you deserve."

The pirates very roughly dragged Peter outside. Tinker Bell followed them out, but stayed high above them where they couldn't reach her.

"On to Skull Rock, the home of the deadly Mr. Crocodile," ordered Hook.

Peter bit the hand of his captor.

"I would love to go to Skull Rock," said Peter, thinking quickly.

"Oh, good!" exclaimed Mr. Smee.

"What?" asked Hook.

"I would love to go to Skull Rock!" repeated Peter, "I love Mr. Crocodile, you see, he's my pet. I trained him to do whatever I say. Like when he attacked you the other day."

"Then we'll just have to drown you in Mermaid Lagoon," said the captain quickly.

"The mermaids would just save me. In fact, I'd say if you wanted to kill me, you would never be able to do it here in Neverland," explained Peter.

Captain Hook frowned. The boy was making a lot of sense. Hook had spent an endless amount of time trying to be rid of Peter here in Neverland. Peter stared hoping that Hook would listen to him.

"Captain!" exclaimed a pirate, running out of the woods. Hook glared at the interruption.

"What is it?"

"Um, sorry, sir, we just found the pirate ship! It's docked at the beach past these woods," said the pirate.

Hook's eyes lit up.

"Prepare the ship. We will sail for London," ordered Hook.

Peter tried hard not to smile.

"Don't we need to ship to fly?" asked Mr. Smee.

"Get that blasted fairy of yours to sprinkle her fairy dust on our ship, or we will kill you," Hook told Peter.

"You heard him, Tink!" exclaimed Peter.

The pirates dragged him through the jungle and to the beach where the ship was docked. Tinker Bell, taking no chances with Peter's life, flew around and around the ship as the pirates boarded. Soon enough, they were all floating in the air, ready to sail up and to London.

Tinker Bell flew to Peter.

"You have to go," whispered Peter, "It's time. It's past time."

Tinker Bell's reply sounded like funeral bells.

"Go back to the fairies," urged Peter.

Tinker Bell kissed Peter on the cheek and stared into his eyes for a moment. He smiled and she turned and flew away, looking back only once. Peter watched her, knowing she knew the way to the fairies. She disappeared into the night. A tear fell down Peter's cheek.


	6. A Second Chance

_Author's Note: This is the second last chapter of this little story! I hope you've enjoyed it so far! Stay tuned for a sequel! This chapter is mainly about Captain Hook. The last chapter will be about Peter Pan, finally ready to grow up._ _Reviews are most welcome!__ Thanks! Enjoy!_

Captain Hook, newly excited, looked at the sky. Finally, after all this time, he had discovered how to be rid of Peter Pan. The thought sent shivers down his spine. _Is this what I really want? _Hook asked himself. He shook his head. Of course this is what he really wants.

"Captain, urhm, which way is London?" asked Mr. Smee, apparently confused.

Hook rolled his eyes, irritated by the stout little man.

"That way, Smee," answered Hook, gesturing in the direction the ship was sailing in.

Hook was at the helm, steering the ship himself. Smee was unfortunately acting as navigator, but Hook was wise enough to realize Smee's directions were a little, well, wrong.

Even though they were at a high altitude, the stars still shined high above them. The pirate ship was at cloud level, as if they were just sailing through dense fog. It was beautiful, an out-of-this-world experience, yet, Captain Hook was not enjoying it as he should. Just as he never enjoyed Neverland as he should.

Hook is obsessed with his revenge on Peter Pan. Even now, steering the ship, he couldn't help but glare at the boy, now tied to the mast of the ship. Peter was looking down, also seemingly not enjoying the boat ride.

"Look! London!" called the watchmen up in the crow's nest. Sure enough, the sparkle of city lights were visible below the Jolly Roger.

It looked as if it were extremely early in the morning, right before the sun came up. Hook frowned at the sight of the city. Although familiar, he had to admit it had changed since he had been there. How long had it been? The last time he and his crew were here they kidnapped Jane, but the captain hadn't paid too much attention to the actual city itself.

The captain, seeing an old abandoned dock along the river, indicated to the crew where they would be landing. They needed to get the ship in the water before the pixie dust wore off.

The crew members, now in London and sick of Hook, became excited. Now would be the opportune moment to abandon the crew. The pirates whispered to each other, making plans on deserting. Each and every one of them, save Mr. Smee, decided they would leave and start a new life. They no longer had to be sea-thieves, or henchmen to a man who was obsessed with revenge. They could be truly free, which is exactly what they were looking for as a pirate. The pirates didn't know where they would go, but they were happy that they were getting a second chance.

Captain Hook barked orders, doing his best to make sure the ship landed in one piece. Finally, the ship landed on the water, weighed down by an anchor. Although still floating, Hook himself jumped off and tied the vessel to the dock, making the boat resemble a kite held by a string.

"Captain, what do we do with Peter now?" asked Mr. Smee.

"Ah, yes. Mr. Pan," began Hook.

However, Hook never continued his sentence. The pirates each began to jump off the boat and onto the dock and proceeded to walk away.

"Just where do you think you're going?" demanded Hook.

A pirate in a pink shirt just turned and glared at Hook.

"We're getting out of here. Never again are we going back to Neverland, or back on that wretched boat," he replied.

The other pirates nodded in agreement.

"You know the penalty for deserting!" exclaimed Captain Hook, infuriated.

The pirate in the pink shirt shrugged, and went away with his buddies. Most of them had decided to find a tavern to take a drink at to figure out their life.

Hook had no idea what to do. There were so many; he no longer had the power to penalize those who deserted. Mr. Smee frowned, trying to comprehend.

"I think they've decided to take a second chance," said Smee, almost wisely.

Captain Hook glared at him.

"WE ARE GOING TO DROWN PETER PAN!" yelled the captain.

Smee shrugged and went back aboard the ship. Hook followed.

Peter smiled at the two pirates, completely amused by what had just happened.

"It looks like you're not really a captain anymore," said the boy.

Hook scratched the boy's cheek with his hook. Peter glared at him, in pain, but made no sound.

"You're going to die today, Peter," promised Hook, "Cut him free, Smee. Then we'll restrain him, cut his throat, and throw him into the river."

Peter's eyes widened. Captain Hook was beginning to recover from his insanity, quickly realizing the only way he would be rid of Peter would be to do it quickly.

Unfortunately for the two pirates, as soon as Smee loosened the ropes, Peter flew up and away from them as fast as he could. Hook and Smee never had the chance to restrain him.

"SMEE!" yelled Hook, outraged, "Go after him!"

Smee frowned, seeing Peter flying high above them.

"Um, captain, how?" asked Mr. Smee.

Captain Hook turned to Smee, ready to scratch the little man with his hook, but immediately decided not to. Mr. Smee had always been loyal to him, even now when there was nobody else.

For the first time in a long time, Captain Hook forgot about Peter Pan. The boy was gone now, free to do whatever he wanted. Captain Hook was now free to do whatever here in London. Mr. Smee would stay at his side no matter what, he knew. The pirate was filled with gratitude towards his first-mate, a feeling Hook had never felt during his stay at Neverland.

"Never mind," said Hook, darkly.

Mr. Smee frowned, uncertain what to make of the captain.

"Perhaps we could leave the ship here and then go find a new life?" suggested Mr. Smee.

Hook looked at the man.

"That sounds… good," said the captain finally.

Mr. Smee smiled.

"Actually, I had inherited a home here in London, I have the deed to it somewhere," explained Smee, "We could stay there for the time being. You're welcome there, of course."

"Where is the deed?" asked Hook.

Smee frowned and climbed back on the ship.

Hook waited on the dock, thinking to himself what he would do without Mr. Smee. Finally, he could be free from Peter Pan! Then Hook looked down at where his hand should have been. His happiness dropped. How in the world could a man with a hook for a hand ever fit in, here in the real world? What would he do?

Smee returned, proudly holding the house deed.

"Here it is, cap'n!" he exclaimed, and read the address.

"Let's go there, then," suggested Hook.

The two men walked out of the dock and onto the London streets. Looking around from street to street, they discovered they were hopelessly lost. Finally, Mr. Smee stopped a man getting an early start to his work day.

"Do you know where this is?" asked Smee, handing over the house deed.

The man frowned, unsure what to make of the two men dressed in very out-of-date pirate clothing.

"Um, oh, actually, perhaps. I think that address is the old abandoned home, two blocks up that way," explained the man, "who are you? Do you own the home? Is this some crazy play or something?"

"Yes, I am the owner," explained Smee, "And I don't know of any play."

Captain Hook felt suddenly self-conscious in their clothing. The man in front of them wearing a business suit was decades different than their own attire. The man had decided now was a good time to make a hasty exit from the two pirates.

"Well let's go to the house!" exclaimed Smee, excited to show off his home to his favorite captain.

They continued following the road, and eventually saw a medium-sized home, completely rundown, standing between two nice looking homes. An old woman tending to a single potted plant looked at the two pirates skeptically.

"You boys live there?" she asked.

"Yes, now we do," said Smee.

"We are moving in," explained Captain Hook.

"I've been trying to get rid of that old shack for years! It's such an eyesore, but the city says they never found the owner and therefore cannot demolish it," explained the old woman.

She was slightly plump, but had very warm eyes. She was the maternal-type, especially now since almost everybody she met were young enough to be her children. The woman was wearing a dull flower-print dress, perhaps in style at one time, although the two pirates won the prize for most poorly dressed.

"It's my home, I'm the owner!" happily stated Smee, "And we'll fix it up, don't you worry!"

"You better!" exclaimed the woman, "Would you buys like something to eat perhaps? You look hungry."

Captain Hook and Mr. Smee looked at each other.

"That would be lovely," said Captain Hook finally.

"I also have my husband's old clothes in here, he went through different stages of fat and thin, I'm sure I could find something to fit each of you," the woman offered very kindly.

"Oh, yes," responded Smee quickly, "What is your name, my lady?"

"Lady!" exclaimed the woman, "I haven't been called that in years. My name is Henrietta Morris. What are your names?"

"I go by Mr. Smee."

Captain Hook frowned, and took off his hat, feeling a little silly.

"My name is James," said the captain finally.

The little old woman smiled.

She took the two pirates inside her house and told each to help themselves to the fruit on the counter. Hook and Smee, hungered after the journey, each did indeed help themselves. Henrietta returned with two three-piece suits, one larger but shorter, the other long and thin.

"This one my husband used at a costume party, but it is still a marvelous suit," she explained to Captain Hook, handing him the longer one.

She gave Smee the other one and led them each to a different closet to change in. The two men emerged.

"Everything fit okay?" asked Henrietta.

"Yes, thank you," said Mr. Smee.

Captain Hook looked down at himself, feeling completely different in this new suit. So much had changed since his time growing up in London. He frowned at a memory of his school days at Eton, but then shook his head, forgetting it. That was a lifetime ago.

Smee looked surprisingly distinguished in his suit, and pleasantly began to chat with Mrs. Morris.

"Oh, James," said Henrietta, "I could get you an appointment with my husband's barber! You could get a haircut, and a shave. It would be easier for you to find work that way."

Captain Hook frowned at the thought of cutting his hair, but realized it was way out of style.

"Alright, thank you," muttered Hook.

The two pirates, taking their old clothes, bid good-bye to the sweet lady. They entered the abandoned home next door and looked around.

The wood was rotting in many places, but it was much better looking on the inside than the outside. There was old furniture in each room, some of which would work fine. The two pirates went upstairs and discovered two bedrooms. The rooms weren't very nice, but usable. It would take a lot to fix up this place, but it wasn't a lost cause. They could live here, if they had to.

The sun had come up by this time outside, and the city outside slowly began to wake up. The two pirates could hear cars, and marveled a little at the inventions. The vehicles had come a long way since the two pirates had last been to London.

"You know, this is much better than Neverland," said Mr. Smee.

Captain Hook flinched at the word.

"Let's never speak of that again," ordered Hook.

"Alright," agreed Smee, although he wasn't quite sure why. There was a silence before Smee spoke again, "Cap'n, even though we have next to nothing, I'm glad to be starting my new life here in London with my best friend."

Hook turned and stared at Mr. Smee. It had been a long time since Captain Hook had ever considered having friends. In Neverland nobody would have been worthy enough. Hook had longed to rule, never giving anybody else a second thought. Now that his insanity was subsiding, Hook had begun to really appreciate the short man standing in front of him. If he could start a new life in London, he was actually glad Smee was there to help him.

"Yes," said James Hook finally.

The two exited the house and looked around. Parked cars lined the streets, and people had emerged from their homes getting ready to go to work. Mr. Smee and Captain Hook looked out, and dressed as Londoners, walked away, ready to find work. After the day's haircut, nobody would know Hook and Smee had ever spent any time in Neverland, or that their timelines had been displaced. The only exception was Captain Hook's missing hand, and the shiny silver hook in its place. No matter what James Hook did, he would never get his hand back.


	7. The Price of Hesitation

Peter Pan knew he would never return to Neverland as a child. The thought never came to his mind, but his heart knew it. Peter had never in his life felt so alone. He had always had somebody with him, usually the Lost Boys or Tinker Bell. He shook his head. He would find the Lost Boys here, and most importantly, Wendy would be his mother. The thought of Wendy kept Peter going.

After his narrow escape from Hook and Smee, Peter knew it was crucial to find Wendy. Hook and Smee may follow him, although he was confident the pirates were having troubles of their own. The crew deserted, after all. Hook would never capture Peter again, Peter swore it. He had to find Wendy's home.

Peter suddenly was afraid to fly. Anybody could see him in this city, if he lived here now he couldn't reveal to them that he could fly. Flying would be his secret, he decided. So, Peter began to walk the streets, trying to find something that he knew.

Unfortunately, after what seemed like hours Peter had to admit he was lost. As people began to bustle about they looked oddly at Peter. Peter's clothing was very out of place with these city people. The men mostly wore work suits, a few wore denim or trousers, and the women mostly dresses, although many young women wore pants and feminine blouses.

Peter Pan was unsure of what to do. He finally walked into a little clothing shop to ask the sales clerk for directions. For some reason Peter felt like he was being unmanly asking for directions, but he shook off the feeling.

"Do you know where Big Ben is?" asked Peter.

"Why it's just up over that way, boy," replied the clerk, indicating the opposite direction from which Peter came, "What on earth are you wearing? This is bad business, you walking out of my shop wearing that."

Peter frowned. He liked his clothing, but he was smart enough to realize it did not fit in around here at all.

"Well what else would I wear?" asked Peter.

"I'll just get an old shirt and trousers for you, boy, I've got some used clothing. I just can't possibly have you be seen walking out of this shop," said the man.

Although the man would never show it, he felt sorry for Peter. The boy seemed to have no idea what was going on, and was not acting like every other boy the man knew that was Peter's age.

Soon enough, Peter was dressed, and the man had his clothes.

"Can I at least take the hat with me?" asked Peter, suddenly unwilling to part with it.

"As long as you don't wear it," replied the shop owner. He smiled, "Have a good day, boy."

Peter just nodded and ran out of the store, onto the street. To his shock, he almost got run over by a car. He jumped out of the way in the nick of time, although the car horn blew loudly and attracted much attention. Peter felt way out of place, even wearing this clothing.

Peter did in fact see the Big Ben from where he was standing, and began to make his way into that general direction. From there, he supposed, he could find Wendy's home. If he had to, he would wait until it got dark and fly over there.

Walking the London Streets, Peter zoned out what was going on around him and remembered Neverland. His heart almost burst at the thought, all those memories poured into his thoughts. Tinker Bell entered his mind and tears rushed to his eyes, but he quickly controlled his feelings. He had to grow up, be a man, and not cry over silly memories. Peter's heart ached nonetheless.

Finally, Peter arrived at Big Ben. Looking up at the giant clock, Peter realized it was about noon. He looked down at his hat, now squished in his hand. A part of him wanted to drop it then and there, but now it was the only physical proof of his old self and his time within Neverland.

_"You waited too long, Peter Pan," _the Indian chief's words echoed in Peter's mind. Peter shook his head, forgetting them, and continued on.

He sort of knew the direction of Wendy's home from the clock tower, but the streets were confusing. Seeing a cemetery, Peter decided to take a short-cut through it.

To Peter's shock, he saw Wendy's figure crouching down by a tombstone. Peter ran over, and smiled widely, feeling genuine happiness.

"Wendy!" exclaimed Peter.

The figure turned around, shocked. Peter stared back, realizing this woman, about middle-aged, was not Wendy, but Jane. Jane stared at Peter, looking as if she'd seen a ghost.

"P-Peter," she whispered.

"How long has it been?" demanded Peter suddenly.

"I thought I would never see you again, none of us did," explained Jane quietly. Her mouth smiled, but her eyes remained sad. Peter could see tears forming.

"How long has it been?" Peter asked again.

Tears started streaming down Jane's face. She looked at Peter's hat in his hand and shook her head.

"Take me to Wendy," said Peter quietly.

Jane's eyes widened, but she said nothing. She couldn't find words to speak to the boy. Peter shook his head, slightly angered at Jane. Peter just wanted to go to Wendy. He began to walk away from Jane, angered that she had grown up so much, and began to worry about seeing Wendy so old.

"Peter, wait," begged Jane, "Wendy missed you so much; she always believed you would come back, she had never given up hope…"

Peter stared at her, but for the first time paid attention to the gravestone behind her. His eyes widened and he felt he couldn't breathe.

Wendy's name was engraved on the stone, followed by "loving wife and mother." Peter took a step back and shook his head, not believing what had happened.

"I'm so sorry," whispered Jane, not knowing what else to say.

Peter Pan dropped his green hat, stared Jane in the eyes, and began to fly away. Jane did nothing to stop him, but stared after him. Tears freely streamed down her face and Peter disappeared from her vision. Jane picked up Peter's hat.

"She taught me never to lose hope, Peter," whispered Jane.


End file.
